How I Line My Handmade Hats

Off late it seems that I cannot get enough of colorwork projects, especially earflap hats. Having Cheery Scrap Hat, left me wanting more. Little lad was quite happy with this one.

Designer: Kate Oates
Pattern: Petite Purls, Issue 3 Winter 2009

And we discovered that my head size is just half an inch more than his so we can practically share all our hats.

And then came the flurries. Yes its gone below zero where we live. So this beautiful hat just wouldn't cut it for us. IDEA.... let's line it with something warm mama.... that ways it will fit me better too. So off I went to my fabric stash to find some fleece.

Here is how I lined this hat.

TUTORIAL

Fold the fleece fabric in half such that the whole hat fits, with earflaps on the double fabric. 

Fold the hat sideways so that the earflaps are on top of each other. Use fabric chalk/ marker to draw the outline of the hat, quarter inch out of the actual edges.

Now cut both layers along this outline.

Now we need to sew the two layers together. This can be done either with a needle and thread or with a sewing machine. I chose a sewing machine and a zig zag stitch. However, a longer straight stitch would also do. Also I did it in red thread so it would show up in the picture, but you would need to match your thread to your fabric. Sew along three sides of the head circumference, leaving the bottom edge and earflaps alone. If your fabric has one better looking side than another, keep that one facing the other layers side, sandwiched in between so that the less pretty side is outside for the seam.

Now we fold the lower edge inward toward the larger part of the hat and continue doing so along the earflaps and out the other end (one layer at a time, we do not want to sew the layers together.... our head needs to fit in). Sew along the folds as neatly as possible. This side won't show up so it doesn't really matter.

We are now going to turn our hat inside out and place it inside this fleece hat. Do a blanket stitch all around the edge. I created a short video for this here:

Next secure the top of the fleece to the top of the knit hat by tacking it down a few times.

Enjoy seeing the warm and fuzzy expression on the wearer's face :P

Here is how the hat will look inside out.

Be warm!

------------------------------------------------------ © DESILOOP

Following a pattern

I am here to tell you that I am in the same boat with folks who either accidentally or purposely stray away from a pattern as it is written. And in my case I think it is really necessary to stray and experiment and then enjoy the results. Its all a part of the learning process for me and I learn about things that can or cannot be done to a pattern to make it work.

Take for instance my latest published pattern Uljhan on Knitty Deep Fall 2014 issue. Seeing the lovely projects creeping up in the ravelry projects, I started craving my own. Most of my prototypes are sized for children in order to take pictures, since in my case, I haven't had the chance to get the right equipment to take my own pictures (I am getting there). 

Here it is: (here on ravelry)

Do you see any differences? Well, there are a couple actually, although it doesn't seem much different from the original pattern.

Firstly I am using the contrast yarn for the ribbing. Totally intentional since I didn't have enough of the magenta.

Second, I have one row less when compared to the original chart, missing the cross over cable of purple over purple. (An accident in the first one, and intentional in the second repeat since I had to be consistent)

It totally works and is quite cozy, as was intended. I think I am going to re-visit the decreases in the adult sizes at some point in future. But this is going to have to do for now. The tail is tucked inside the hat and not woven it, so I can easily unravel it when I am ready to revisit the decreases. Who knows, there might be a top-down version too. We will see. Until next time, happy knitting/ crocheting.

ETA:

One more thing I wanted to add... Since I used left over contrast from another project for my ribbing, I had to join in a new skein. This time, instead of my usual russian join I used the double knot technique demonstrated by Jane Richmond in one of her videos. I was really surprised to see how well the thing stays together. I tugged and tugged and it won't come apart. I think this is now my new favourite join technique.

Here I have put the knot together.

Here I have cut really close to the knot and tugged a lot, but it has not come apart.

------------------------------------------------------ © DESILOOP